Hwy 53 Reloca on Virginia, Minnesota Owner: Minnesota DOT (MnDOT) Designer: Parsons Transporta on Group CM/GC : Kiewit Years of Project: 2014—2018 Total Project Cost: $350 million Client Reference: Vincent Gastoni, P.E. (Parsons—612‐656‐7070 ) Owner Reference: Kevin Western, P.E. (MnDOT—651‐366‐4508 ) Project Highlights: MnDOT is reloca ng TH 53 near Virginia, Minnesota, to allow for future iron ore mining at the loca on of the exis ng roadway. The new alignment will include Minnesota’s tallest bridge across the currently inac ve Rouchleau Mine Pit. The design phase load test program includes three minipiles (large diameter micropiles) in‐ stalled through over 120 of mine waste fill and founded in iron ore bedrock with compres‐ sive strengths as high as 70,000 psi . The two 24‐in and one 16‐in diameter minipiles will be load tested using the Statnamic method. Design for the bridge is ongoing. The bridge is expected to be founded on 24‐in diameter mini‐ piles and spread foo ngs bearing on rock. In addi on to the founda ons for the bridge, there are several challenging rock and soil slope stability issues to contend with. Rock fall protec on for both construc on workers and the bridge piers is also part of the design. DBA is contracted as the load test expert, the founda on designer for the bridge, and as the slope designer for the bridge and roadway. Photo Credits: MnDOT; Dan Brown and Associates, PC. Dan Brown and Associates, PC www.danbrownandassociates.com P.O. Box 309,Jasper, TN 37347 423‐942‐8681 [email protected]